Stead's days in the top-flight looked over after he managed just one Premiership goal for Sunderland last season.

But Warnock felt he was worth a punt at #750,000 and the striker repaid the Sheffield United boss by bagging his first goal in the vital 2-0 win over Fulham. "You need someone to take a chance on you and to believe in you and the gaffer stuck his neck out," said the ex-England Under-21 international.

"Neil has been keen on me for a while and it's a massive bonus when the manager rates you highly and wants you in the team.

"This is a new lease of life for me, a time to progress again, and I feel I'm getting back to some of my best football.

"I'm delighted to get off the mark and now is the time to push on and improve more."

Stead, 23, burst on to the Premiership scene three years ago with Blackburn, scoring six goals in 13 league games to help keep Rovers up.

And the former Huddersfield star admits he has to prove himself again because of his nightmare time at Sunderland when he managed just two goals in 16 months.

"I've a point to prove," he said. "I progressed very quickly and then took backward steps, so it has been frustrating.

"It's hard for a striker when you are not scoring. People start telling you what you should and should not be doing.

"You have to keep believing in yourself and that's something I've tried to do, and it's showing.

"But what I did in the past is done and now it's time to do it again.

"I'm back to playing better, and it's definitely encouraging for me. It's important now to keep working hard and the goals will keep coming."